March 7, 2024

By the Solidarity Network

Published Feb. 25,2024, in the web edition of El Salto, a left-wing daily in the Spanish state, with participation from many regions.

Translation: John Catalinotto

The Solidarity Network against the Occupation of Palestine (RESCOP), which brings together more than 50 social organizations, groups and citizen platforms throughout the Spanish state, has called for marches on Feb. 25 for the second time, jointly and simultaneously. It has done so to demand the government take concrete and effective measures against the genocide in the Gaza Strip.

With chants such as “Israel murders, Europe sponsors,” “The stolen lands will be recovered,” “Boycott Israel!” and “I want a hospital, not a military base,” thousands of people filled the streets of Madrid, from Atocha to Plaza de España.

The image was repeated in Barcelona, Gijón and Zaragoza, among other cities. More than 100 municipalities had planned marches in this united call, which is the second one. The first one took place Jan. 20.

The call comes after the International Court of Justice issued a landmark ruling Jan. 26. This ruling included a series of measures to prevent what the ICJ has indicated may be genocide, based on evidence provided by South Africa, which is acting as plaintiff against Israel. The order requires Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip and to allow unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid.

The Court has declared that the Palestinian people are entitled to be protected from acts of genocide and has ordered Israel to “take all measures within its power, as well as to punish direct and public incitement to commit genocide.”

None of these measures are being taken. This past Feb. 24, a visit by three members of parliament to the Rafah Border Crossing reported that humanitarian aid trucks were being held up. Meanwhile, the Palestinian authorities raised the death toll to nearly 30,000.

RESCOP stated that “neither the European Union nor the Spanish government, which has legal obligations as a member of the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide, has done anything to comply with the Court’s ruling. Moreover, only a few days ago we learned that the Spanish government lied about arms shipments to Israel, in breach of state and international law and incurring in a possible crime of complicity with acts of genocide.”

RESCOP calls on the Spanish state to lead an immediate and permanent ceasefire and to put an end to the sale of arms and military and security technology with Israel. It also asks [the Spanish government] to support the lawsuit filed by South Africa in the International Court of Justice against Israel for genocide and to break diplomatic, institutional, economic, sporting and cultural relations with Israel, among other measures.